Induced illegal abortions in Benin City, Nigeria.

Abortions of all types constitute about 25% of our gynaecological admissions. In 8 months period between July 1974 and February 1975, 59 patients admitted into our unit with confirmed illegally induced abortions were studied personally by the author. It was found that most patients with this type of abortion were single, young schoolgirls. Most of the patients were 12 weeks pregnant or more at the time of the attempted termination. Most of the people who carried out these 'operations' by instrumentation were usually unskilled personnel. The complications in these patients which included one death are discussed. It is concluded that sex education including the use of contraceptive devices will help in reducing the high incidence of this 'social evil'. It is also thought that the liberalization of abortion laws in this country will also be helpful in reducing the complications associated with induced abortions.